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Bundled together with the DVD and BD releases of Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie 3: The Rebellion Story last month, the soundtrack of the film is an excellent example of how melodies evoke sincere emotions in those who listen. Almost the entire track is comprised of sombre themes, matching the overall mood of the film quite well. While the film isn’t necessarily an uplifting addition to the series, and by extension it’s soundtrack, the sounds that it manages to convey are not only presented at a high standard, but are also highly emotive.

Anyone remotely familiar with the series understands that, although the plot centres on magical girls, it is by no means a childish or joyful series. Instead, it takes a dark and grim approach to the traditional magical girl genre, creating a more meaningful story than anyone could have imagined. The new film, The Rebellion Story, is a worthy addition to the franchise, and it’s OST certainly doesn’t fail to keep up with the tone of the series.

Yuki Kajiura’s work on the soundtrack is simply amazing – each of the tracks composed by her are coherent, relatable and most importantly: genuine. It’s no surprise that her experience in working with other anime soundtracks have led her to create such a refined OST, and I’m glad that she managed to keep true to the heart of the story. The pieces that feature orchestral sounds are by far my favourites, but by no means are her other tracks less than stellar. Her tracks encapsulate chaos, disorder and the death of hope, acting as the basis of the entire film.

I first got notice of the soundtrack when they were uploaded onto media sharing websites a few days ago. A few friends and I were, as expected, thrilled to be able to hear the music from the film. Now proudly close to the top of my phone’s playlist, I’ve been replaying the more sadder songs of the OST simply because they’re emotionally powerful. Although the film’s ending wasn’t exactly what I had hoped for in the storyline of Puella Magi, I have zero complaints about the soundtrack.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Suzumiya Haruhi no Yūutsu) was one of the first anime I ever watched to completion – and one that I still adore to this day. I recall completing a few of my art assignments in school on Haruhi, learning the dance sequence of Hare Hare Yukai (which I can still perform) and attempting to learn the opening song. I was beyond words when I learnt there was a concerto version of the music of the anime – and even more so when there was a CD of it available.

Suzumiya Haruhi no Gensou, or the Symphony of Haruhi Suzumiya, is an incredible concerto rendition of music from the anime performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. It was definitely interesting – fond memories were stirred up from the unfamiliar classical harmonies. I must admit, whilst I have an appreciation for the classical genre, the renditions felt slightly unfamiliar – in a way too polished.

Don’t take it the wrong way; it was by no means terrible. In fact it was the opposite. The orchestra excellently executed the pieces with a sense of flair. But there was a lack of feeling, a lack of relation in the performance – It was technically perfect, not emotionally. In the DVD version, there were a few nods to the anime (which were admittedly pleasing) and Aya Hirano, voice of Haruhi herself and Lead Singer, even performed the vocals for a few tracks (And mind you, she was amazing although I prefer the original tracks). It was things such as these that made the performance more believable and definitely more enjoyable for viewers of the anime.

As a whole, this special edition of the music from the anime was fantastic and nostalgic, albeit slightly disappointing. Hearing some of my favourite tracks in a classical tone was interesting to say the least, if not wholly uplifting. Although I believe its aimed towards fans of the anime, I recommend to give Suzumiya Haruhi no Gensou a listen if you’re interested in classical orchestra music.